SPIRITUAL PRACTICES FOR UNCERTAIN TIMES:
Practice Openness
It is important in the spiritual life to keep an open mind, open to ideas, experiences, people, the world, and the Sacred.
Openness is an ability to go with the flow, as Taoism puts it, without expecting predetermined outcomes.
It means being receptive to new possibilities, without prejudging them.
It is an ability to make yourself available to out-of-the-ordinary opportunities.
Indeed, openness to the unknown, the exotic, and the bizarre is usually seen as the mark of a free spirit.
The contrast to openness is narrow-mindedness; characterized by a rigidity of mind. Dogmatic and stubborn people, and pessimistic people who have armored themselves against preconceived disappointments, are not open.
You can increase your openness by practicing empathy.
Move outside yourself into another’s situation.
Try to access the other’s feelings and ideas…
How available are you to others?
How interested are you in people, especially those quite different from you?
How flexible are you?
Are you willing to try something new?
These are the questions to ask to assess your openness and to determine the benefits you might derive from this practice.
Some ideas for cultivating openness:
Opening a window is a cue to open my mind to new ideas and experiences.
When I hold an empty cup, I am reminded to remain open and receptive.
Seeing a sign, a book, or a film in another language, reminds me to be open to the messages coming to me from other cultures.
HEART OF CHRISTIANITY BOOK STUDY:
Looking forward to continuing on in our discussion of Marcus Borg’s book THIS EVENING at 7:00 pm
Tonight we will delve into what it means to be “born again”.
Please see the Facebook group chat for the Zoom link and join in the conversation; everyone is welcome!
VIRTUAL COFFEE HOUR:
Our next ALMOST in-person gathering will be held on Tuesday, May 26 at 7:00.
Please RSVP by Monday, May 25 if you would like to attend 😊
HANGING BASKETS FOR SALE…
Though social distancing regulations prevent us from holding our annual Spring Fair this year, our dear friend Lianne Tooley has generously offered to make up a bunch of her beautiful hanging baskets for sale; with all proceeds going to Grace.
The cost of each basket will be $10.
If you would like to place an order, please be in touch with Carol McLean no later than Friday, June 5.
Pick up will be on June 12 and 13 at staggered times for physical distancing.
MUFFIN MINISTRY!…
We have been given the opportunity to take part in a tasty outreach project with some of our sister churches; providing muffins for homeless folk in our community.
This is an ongoing, and much needed, outreach as pandemic restrictions continue.
Here’s how you can take part:
Bake two or three dozen nut-free muffins.
Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and place all of the wrapped muffins in a plastic bag.
Drop off your contribution at Rod and Carol McLean’s (135 Third Ave.) by Sunday afternoon.
Carol will make sure our contribution gets where it needs to go!
Again, this project will continue for the foreseeable future, so feel welcome to participate whenever and as often as you can 😊
WITH A PRAYER IN OUR HEARTS …
Loving, embracing Spirit
We strive
and we fall often,
straight into the safety net
of your compassionate embrace.
We pick ourselves up
and try again,
secure in the knowledge
that you will always be there for us,
and that we are so much more
than our successes and failures.
Help us to learn from our mistakes
and may we always be sensitive to the strivings of others,
reaching out with the understanding and acceptance that you have shown to us
as we journey towards wholeness in you and with your creation.
Grace United Church Sudbury 